Byzantine minuscule

Byzantine minuscule refers to a style of Greek handwriting that emerged around the 7th–8th century CE and became prevalent in the Byzantine Empire. This script developed from earlier documentary hands, likely with a significant role played by the monastery of Stoudion in Constantinople.

The introduction of minuscule was driven by economic factors, such as the need for more economical use of vellum due to papyrus shortages, and by the demands of the iconoclastic controversy for a faster writing style. It also facilitated the multiplication of texts for scholarly purposes during a revival of learning in the 9th century. The earliest dated example of true minuscule is a Gospel written in 835 CE. Initially, it was a pure form with uniform letters and specific joining rules, but over time, uncial forms were gradually incorporated, leading to a more fluid script by the end of the 10th century.1